Brachycome plant named `Sunburst`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Brachycome named &#39;Sunburst&#39;, characterized by its upright and spreading plant habit; fast crop time; moderate vigor; freely branching plant habit; numerous inflorescences with light yellow ray florets and bright yellow disc florets; long, erect peduncles that hold inflorescences above the foliage; and frost tolerance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofBrachycome plant, botanically known as a Brachycome hybrid and named`Starburst`. It is anticipated that the plant of this application willbe marketed under the name "Billabong Sunburst".

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in MacGregor, South Brisbane, Australia. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop new cultivars with yellow rayflorets and frost tolerance.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor ofBrachycome sp. affinity curvicarpa, as the male or pollen parent, withBrachycome segmentosa, as the female or seed parent. The cultivar`Sunburst` was discovered and selected by the inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environmentin MacGregor, South Brisbane, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse in MacGregor, South Brisbane, Australia,has shown that the unique features of this new Brachycome are stable andare reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

Compared to the parent cultivar Brachycome sp. affinity curvicarpa,plants of the new Brachycome are more compact; dense, not open plantform; and have paler yellow ray florets. Compared to the parent cultivarBrachycome segmentosa, plants of the new Brachycome are more compact,more floriferous, and have light yellow rather than white ray florets. Adetailed comparison of the differences between Brachycome segmentosa andthe cultivar `Sunburst` appears in Chart A at the end of thespecification.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of `Sunburst` which distinguish`Sunburst` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and spreading plant habit.

2. Fast crop time.

3. Moderate vigor.

4. Freely branching plant habit.

5. Numerous inflorescences with light yellow ray florets and brightyellow disc florets.

6. Long, erect peduncles that hold inflorescences above the foliage.

7. Frost tolerance.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a single pottedplant of `Sunburst`.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of inflorescences ofplants of `Sunburst`.

Floret color in the photographs may appear different from the actualfloret color due to light reflectance.

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in MacGregor, South Brisbane, Australia, underoutdoor conditions with day temperatures ranging from 15 to 35° C. andnight temperatures ranging from 10 to 30° C. and light levels from 5,000to 9,000 footcandles. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Brachycome hybrid cultivar `Sunburst`.

Commercial.--Brachycome.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Brachycome sp. affinity curvicarpa.

Female or seed parent.--Brachycome segmentosa.

Propagation:

Type.--By cuttings.

Time to initiate and develop roots.--Summer: 10 to 20 days attemperatures of 25° C. Witer: 15 to 30 days at temperatures of 20° C.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.--Rounded, upright, spreading, herbaceous plant withbroadly pinnatifid foliage and erect flower stems. Appropriate for 12.5pots to 25-cm hanging basket containers. To produce a 15-cm finishedflowering plant from rooted cuttings, 8 to 12 weeks are requireddepending on temperature and light level.

Plant height.--20 to 30 cm from soil level to top of inflorescences.

Branching.--Freely branching, typically 3 to 6 lateral branches developwhen the terminal apex is removed (pinched). Lateral branches aretypically 8 to 15 cm in length.

Growth rate.--Moderate.

Vigor.--Moderate.

Foliage description.--Arrangement: Alternate, single. Quantity. 15 to 30per lateral branch. Leaf shape: Broadly pinnatifid, overall, oblong.Leaf apex: Acute to obtuse. Leaf base: Cuneate to obtuse. Leaf margin:Deeply lobed, faintly ciliate. Leaf aspect: Flat. Leaf length: About 5.2cm. Leaf width: About 1.3 cm. Leaf texture: Smooth, glabrous. Leafattachment: Sessile. Leaf color: Young leaves: Adaxial surface: 138A.Abaxial surface: 138B. Fully expanded leaves: Adaxial surface: 143A.Abaxial surface: 144A. Venation: Very faint, inconspicuous.

Flowering description:

Inflorescence.--Single daisy-type composite inflorescence form. Floretsarranged acropetally on a capitulum. lnflorescences last on the plantfor 3 to 4 weeks and for about 1 week as a fresh cut flower.Inflorescences self-cleaning.

Natural flowering season.--Natural flowering season is spring to earlyfall. Plants flower recurrently during this period.

Quantity of inflorescences.--One to five per lateral branch.

Inflorescence diameter.--2.6 to 3 cm.

Inflorescence depth (height).--0.8 to 1.1 cm.

Fragrance.--Not detectable.

Ray florets.--Quantity: 25 to 30 ray florets per inflorescence. Shape:Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Length: 8.4 to 9.8mm. Width: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,abaxial surface: 5A to 5C. Mature, adaxial surface: 4D, with furtherdevelopment, florets maintain light yellow color, 4D. Mature, abaxialsurface: 4D.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular. Diameter of disc: 8 to 9 mm. Disc floretlength: About 4 mm. Disc floret width: About 1 mm. Color: Immature: 154Ato 1A. Mature: 3A/5A. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:Numerous.

Peduncle.--Length: About 1 cm. Strength: Moderately strong,inflorescences held erect above foliage. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.Color: 144A.

Flower bud.--Shape: Globular. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter 5 to 6 mm.Color: 145C.

Involucral bracts.--Arrangement: Imbricated. Quantity: About 16 perinflorescence. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Scabrous, faintlyciliate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Adaxial surface: 138C.Abaxial surface: 138B.

Androecium.--Stamen number: Five per floret. Anther shape: Linear.Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 9B. Pollen color: 3A.

Gynoecium.--Pistil number: One per floret. Stigma shape: Bilobate. Stylelength: About 2.5 mm.

Disease Resistance: No susceptibility nor resistance to fungal,bacterial or viral pathogens has been noted.

Seed production: Seed production is typically not observed.

    ______________________________________                                        CHART A                                                                                                    Brachycome                                       CHARACTERISTIC   `SUNBURST`  segmentosa                                       ______________________________________                                        PLANT HEIGHT     20 to 30 cm 30 to 40 cm                                      VIGOR            Moderate    High                                             LATERAL BRANCH LENGTH                                                                          8 to 15 cm  10 to 30 cm                                      LEAF COLOR,      138A        138A                                             YOUNG LEAVES,                                                                 ABAXIAL SURFACE                                                               LEAF COLOR,      138B        138B                                             YOUNG LEAVES,                                                                 ADAXIAL SURFACE                                                               LEAF COLOR,      143A        144A                                             MATURE LEAVES,                                                                ABAXIAL SURFACE                                                               LEAF COLOR,      144A        144B                                             MATURE LEAVES,                                                                ADAXIAL SURFACE                                                               LEAF LENGTH      About 5.2 cm                                                                              About 4.5 cm                                     LEAF WIDTH       About 1.3 cm                                                                              About 1.7 cm                                     QUANTITY OF      1 to 5      1 to 2                                           INFLORESCENCES PER                                                            LATERAL BRANCH                                                                INFLORESCENCE    2.6 to 3 cm About 3.5 cm                                     DIAMETER                                                                      RAY FLORET       5C          155D                                             COLOR, OPENING                                                                RAY FLORET       4D          155D                                             COLOR, MATURE                                                                 ABAXIAL SURFACE                                                               RAY FLORET       4D          69C                                              COLOR, MATURE                                                                 ADAXIAL SURFACE                                                               DISC FLORET COLOR,                                                                             1A          1A                                               IMMATURE                                                                      DISC FLORET      3A to 5A    2A                                               COLOR, MATURE                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Brachycome named `Sunburst`, asillustrated and described.